The skies above the Tyranid-infested world had long since blackened under the will of Darkest. Now, that same world began to stir with new purpose. Beneath the towering fungal spires and pulsating biomass fields, change was happening.
Not through chaos—
But through order.
Darkest stood atop a vast ridge of chitinous bone, watching over the expanding landscape below. Where once there had been only roving, mindless hunger, there were now burgeoning formations—hive-spires being hollowed into living towers, Tyranid swarms shaping tunnels into planned roads, and vast pools of biomass being refined into fuel and sustenance.
His vision was beginning to take form.
"Nyrex," he called out, his voice echoing through the biomechanical corridors behind him.
The towering creature approached. Gone was the savage posture of her early days—now she stood more upright, her body armored with regal chitin, a crude yet dignified cape of silk-flesh draped across her shoulders. She had grown—not just in strength, but in thought.
"My Emperor," she rasped, kneeling before him.
Darkest tilted his head. "How many now live under the Nyx Legion's banner?"
Nyrex's insectoid eyes shimmered. "We number 1,340,000 strong. Warriors. Drones. Builders. Queens. The biomass from the first conquest was... plentiful."
He narrowed his eyes in thought. "Enough to begin… a nation."
Nyrex blinked, digesting the meaning. "We... build? Civilization?"
Darkest nodded slowly. "Yes. Not a horde. Not a swarm. A people. An empire."
He raised a hand, motioning to the horizon.
"This world is vast. With its oceans of biomass and its endless landmasses, it is wasted on us alone. We will shape it—into cities, spires of dominion. No longer parasites. Builders. Conquerors. Creators."
Nyrex bowed her head. "It shall be as you say. This world... shall become part of the Tempest Empire."
Darkest turned, shadows wrapping around him like a cloak.
"Start by organizing the builders. Set up a command hive. Train the lesser queens. Breed with purpose, not instinct. From this chaos… we will forge structure."
Nyrex paused, then asked, voice low and unsure: "But... what of name? What do we call... the place we now build?"
He stared across the land, the stars above glittering behind the black clouds.
Then he answered, with finality:
"We will call it Noctyra."
And so it began.
The first hives were reorganized into districts. Spire-nodes became fortresses. Biomass reservoirs became food-processing centers. Drones began mimicking architecture, crude at first, but improving under Darkest's instruction.
The world, once ruled by instinct, now beat to the rhythm of command.
A new civilization was being born.
•
Darkest knelt within a chamber carved from bone and steel, surrounded by runes pulsating with malevolent energy. Warp energy—a swirling storm of chaos and madness—crackled at his fingertips. Even he, molded by the shadows of the Dark Multiverse, felt its volatile pulse.
He narrowed his glowing eyes. "This energy... is unstable. Corruptive. No wonder this universe is so broken. Everything here reeks of madness."
Just then, a flicker of light blinked inside his mind. A psychic transmission from across realities.
"Yo, how's the progress going?" came the familiar voice of Satria—his original self. Calm, cheeky, and ever-curious.
Darkest's lip curled. "This energy is pure chaos. Touching it feels like gripping fire wrapped in screaming souls. I see now why this universe is a warzone with no end."
Satria laughed. "Well, that's Warhammer 40K for you. Everyone here's insane. But I gotta say, building a colony with Tyranids? That's a new level of eccentric. You've got... unique taste."
Darkest scoffed, his eyes flicking to a nearby window where Tyranid builders slithered across living scaffolding. "Tch. Coincidence. They're useful. Efficient. They obey."
"I'll give you that. At least they're... resourceful. And hey, you might even pioneer the galaxy's first bio-organic green architecture. But what about food? You planning to teach them farming, or are we still on the 'eat whatever's in front of you' diet?"
"Hn. Don't worry. They're like humans—omnivores who pretend to be picky. Their minds are growing. Soon, they'll understand cultivation. Controlled feeding. Even cuisine, if we push far enough."
Satria whistled. "Tyranid chefs. Now that's a crossover I didn't expect. Alright then, I won't distract you. Good luck messing with the Warp. Try not to explode or get possessed."
Darkest exhaled slowly, focusing again on the roiling mass of Warp energy before him. "I bend the darkness. I do not get bent."
"Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Over and out."
The link snapped.
Silence returned, broken only by the whispering hiss of the Warp...
And Darkest's whisper:
"Let's see what secrets you hold… monster."
•
Grayfia awoke to a blinding light, her body weightless and unfamiliar. Her senses slowly returned as she sat up, taking in her surroundings. The room around her was strange—its sleek, futuristic design clashed with everything she had known. Smooth walls adorned with glowing symbols pulsed with quiet energy, and unfamiliar devices hummed softly nearby.
She was lying on a bed, inside what appeared to be a dormitory. Yet the sterile, high-tech atmosphere exuded purpose and discipline. Before she could gather her thoughts, the door slid open with a hiss.
A young woman stepped inside, dressed in an elegant Valkyrie uniform. Her blue-gray hair framed a sharp, composed face. She eyed Grayfia with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
"You're awake," she said, her tone calm yet commanding. "I'm Fu Hua, instructor at St. Freya Academy. You appeared in the middle of our training grounds—unconscious. Can you explain who you are?"
Grayfia blinked, disoriented. St. Freya Academy? The name meant nothing to her. Still, she drew on her inner discipline, steadying her voice. "My name is Grayfia Lucifuge. I am... or was... a servant and advisor to a great leader."
Memories of Sirzechs surfaced, stirring unease. Was he alive? Had he fallen? She couldn't remember.
"I… don't know how I came to be here," she admitted.
Fu Hua's expression softened, curiosity blending with empathy. "You seem... displaced. This world is different. And I sense you're from far beyond it."
Grayfia nodded, her composure returning. "That is likely true. I have been cast from my world. But if this one holds a purpose for me... then I shall find it."
•
A crimson portal ripped open in the skies above another world.
From it stepped a young man—tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating strength. His long, messy black hair blew in the wind, and his piercing red eyes scanned the city below. His presence was electric—dangerous and unyielding.
"So this is where she ended up?" he muttered. "Why should I clean up the mess made by that fool?"
Before he could take another step, chaos erupted.
Explosions ripped through the city. Buildings cracked and crumbled. Sirens screamed, and civilians ran in terror. Jets streaked overhead, launching missiles into the streets as unknown hostiles ravaged the metropolis.
"Of course... there are always problems when I enter a new world."
He stepped forward, the ground fracturing beneath his feet. A dark red aura sparked around him, the air crackling with raw, volatile energy—the offensive counterpart to the Speed Force. This was no ordinary energy. This was the Negative Speed Force.
Screams echoed.
"Help! Somebody help us!"
He blurred through the destruction, rescuing civilians with inhuman speed. As he paused to set a child down behind cover, something caught his attention.
A jet screamed past him, barely audible over the roar of engines and explosions. On its surface, a group of girls fought a wave of monstrous creatures—zombies infected by the Honkai.
One girl, clad in a white jumpsuit, danced across the jet with fluid, brutal grace. Her silver hair gleamed under the burning sky.
"That girl... I've seen her before." He narrowed his eyes, memories surfacing. "Isn't she from that Chinese game...? What was it called... Honkai Impact?"
He grumbled. "I only played the game for the combat, not the lore. Let's see… the silver-haired one is Tuna… or Kiana. The other two are Mei and Bronya… but the last one…"
He stared as a woman appeared beside them, moving with regal poise and devastating efficiency. Ice formed at her fingertips, lances erupting from the air to skewer waves of Honkai beasts.
"…Grayfia?" His voice was a mix of disbelief and recognition.
Kiana charged ahead, twin pistols blazing. Mei followed close behind, katana flashing in precise arcs. Bronya floated slightly above, launching a barrage of energy blasts from her cannons.
Grayfia moved beside them, her aura crackling with glacial energy. With a flick of her wrist, a wave of ice engulfed the battlefield, freezing the ground and trapping dozens of Honkai beneath thick frost.
Mei darted in, cutting down the immobilized foes, while Bronya provided cover. Kiana vaulted skyward, unleashing a crushing aerial kick that shattered the remaining enemies.
Their movements were synchronized—an elegant dance of fury and resolve.
And watching from afar, the white-haired man smirked.
•
Despite the onslaught, more Honkai beasts surged forth, each more feral and powerful than the last.
The Valkyries fought with relentless vigor, their teamwork like clockwork—but it wasn't enough. Just as they began to gain ground, the sky turned dark. A swirling vortex tore open the clouds above them, and from its depths descended a monstrous Honkai creature—massive, twisted, and radiating despair.
The air thickened with pressure. Kiana cracked her knuckles, grinning through the tension. "Let's show them what we're made of!"
Grayfia's ice aura flared as she stepped forward, her eyes sharp. "Kiana, focus! Don't be reckless. This isn't the time for bravado."
Mei tightened her grip on her katana and gave Kiana a stern glance. "Grayfia-san is right. Stay sharp—we end this together."
With renewed resolve, Grayfia summoned her power, forging a massive spear infused with ice and dark energy. She exchanged a silent nod with the others.
Kiana's twin pistols blazed with energy. Mei's blade shimmered with lightning. Bronya adjusted her cannon for a high-powered charge.
In unison, they unleashed a devastating assault—a fusion of light, energy, and elemental fury. The combined beam tore through the massive creature, engulfing it in radiant light until it vanished in a burst of frozen shards and smoke.
Kiana laughed breathlessly, slinging an arm around Grayfia's shoulder. "That was amazing! We make one hell of a team, huh?"
Grayfia, still catching her breath, allowed herself a rare smile. "Yes… I never thought I'd find comrades like you in a world so foreign."
Mei approached, resting a gentle hand on Grayfia's shoulder. "You're more than a comrade now. You're our friend. And no matter what darkness comes, we'll fight it—together."
But in the shadows, someone watched.
Darkest observed from afar, arms crossed, his red eyes narrowed with quiet calculation. There was something in these girls—particularly in Kiana—that stirred a sense of intrigue. Her stubborn hope, her raw, explosive spirit... it reminded him of someone.
But admiration wasn't his intention.
He wanted to test them.
Dark energy seeped into a nearby Honkai beast near the city's railway station. Its body twisted unnaturally, bones warping into jagged machinery, its shrieks turning metallic. Darkest's chaotic aura pulsed within its core, warping it into something far more sinister.
Grayfia's eyes snapped toward the east.
"…It's him. That aura—it's the Black Flash." Her tone was grim. "He's here. And he's testing us."
A thunderous metallic screech echoed through the city, shaking the foundations of nearby buildings. The sound chilled them to the bone.
The ground rumbled—a subtle tremor that escalated into a violent quake. Steam hissed in the distance. The screeching grew louder, more distorted, more unnatural.
Then it appeared.
A nightmare given form.
The creature slithered into view—a monstrous fusion of train and serpent, its body composed of rusted metal, fused with writhing, organic matter. Dozens of red eyes blinked erratically across its locomotive "face." Steam poured from gill-like vents in its sides, laced with the stench of decay.
Kiana recoiled, her voice shaking. "What the hell is that?!"
Bronya's expression turned pale. "That's not Honkai. That's… that's an Eldritch Horror."
Its mouth opened wide, revealing gnashing metal teeth and oily tendrils. The beast roared—a grotesque symphony of metal grinding metal—and lunged toward the team.
Grayfia winced, a bead of sweat running down her temple. "I've seen horrors during the Great War… but this? This is wrong. It's like someone fused a train with madness itself."
"No more talking!" Mei shouted. "Focus fire! Aim where the metal meets flesh!"
The Valkyries opened fire, bullets and blasts slamming into the abomination. Kiana darted forward, unloading a barrage of pistol shots into the joints. Mei struck with surgical precision, slicing into the beast's underbelly. Bronya unleashed explosive salvos, while Grayfia's ice lances froze exposed tissue and shattered corroded steel.
The creature shrieked, ichor spraying from its wounds—but it wasn't slowing down.
In fact, it moved faster.
Fueled by chaos, its strength surged with every wound inflicted, its tail lashing out with destructive force. One blow cracked the pavement, sending debris flying as the Valkyries scrambled for cover.
"We're not making a dent!" Kiana yelled.
"Everyone, fall back!" Grayfia commanded. "It's charging something!"
Too late.
A surge of dark energy exploded from the beast, consuming the battlefield in a wave of corruption. The Valkyries were thrown through the air, crashing to the ground with battered bodies and shattered morale.
Grayfia staggered to her feet, blood trickling down her brow. Around her, Mei, Bronya, and Kiana lay groaning, barely conscious. The weight of despair pressed down on her like a vice.
Not again… I won't lose anyone else.
The beast's red eyes glowed brighter, and it lunged.
"Ice Fortress!" Grayfia screamed, erecting a wall of crystalline defense just in time. The shield shattered instantly on impact, and the force of the blow hurled her across the street like a ragdoll.
Kiana crawled toward her, gasping for breath. She reached out, grasping Grayfia's hand with trembling fingers.
"We… we can't give up," she whispered, tears in her eyes. "Not now. Not while we still have each other. We… fight together."
•
"Yes... she's good… you're so good, Kiana Kaslana." Darkest's voice oozed with twisted admiration, his eyes gleaming with dangerous delight. "Those eyes... that look... that spirit..." His breath caught as if intoxicated by her fire. "Ehm~ I can't wait... to break you." His voice dropped into a whisper, disturbingly tender. "But not yet... no. Not until I mold you into the perfect hero."
•
Grayfia could feel Kiana's hand trembling in hers—yet still holding on. That spark of unwavering courage stirred something in her, reigniting the fire she once thought lost.
"Kiana… Mei… Bronya," Grayfia whispered, her voice raw but resolute. "Even if we fall here… our will… our resolve will remain."
The Valkyries met her gaze. No words needed. Just a nod. Just the truth: they would not die here.
As the abomination coiled back for its final strike, the air split open with a radiant burst of light.
Time froze.
The beast screeched, halting mid-attack as if something far greater had seized control of the battlefield. The girls shielded their eyes, blinded by the sheer force of the light—then saw him.
A figure stepped from the smoke and shadow, calm and deliberate. His presence drowned out all other sensations. Power coiled around him like a living shroud.
Darkest.
He raised one hand, and with eyes glowing like blackened suns, he spoke ancient, forgotten words.
"Oz Domosh Val'Arkhosh."
The incantation cracked reality itself. A vortex of dark energy consumed the monstrosity like a black hole, compressing the impossible into his waiting palm.
The city fell silent. The sunlight slowly returned, filtering through the dust-choked air.
The Valkyries stared, stunned.
Kiana was the first to find her voice, breathless and wary.
"Wh-who… who are you?"
He looked at her—into her. A small, knowing smile touched his lips. His voice was calm, yet carried an eerie weight.
"My name is Satria." He let the words linger. "I was sent by Shadow Garden… to retrieve someone." His gaze slid to Grayfia. "A woman named Grayfia Lucifuge."
To be continued...